The embodiments described herein relate generally to an anti-buckling mechanism for a container and, more particularly, to an anti-buckling mechanism for use with a clamshell-type container.
At least some known containers are clamshell-type containers having a lower tray and an upper cover connected at a fold line. At least some known trays and covers include walls that taper outward from a fold line toward a free edge. Such tapering may cause the container to buckle at the fold line when the container is opened and closed. As such, at least some known containers include anti-buckling features in the tray, the cover, and/or along the fold line.
One known anti-buckling feature in U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,147 includes a first cut along a hinge line joining the tray and the cover, and a second cut in a back panel positioned to one side of the first cut, wherein the second cut is a continuous curve having a first end point located in the back panel and a second end point intersecting the first cut. A known anti-buckling feature in U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,040 includes a first cut along a hinge line joining the tray and the cover, and a second cut in a back panel above the first cut, wherein the first cut is continuous and approximately half the length of the hinge line. Another known anti-buckling feature in U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,040 includes a cut along a hinge line joining the tray and the cover, and at least one cut in a back panel that is generally coextensive with the hinge line cut. However, none of these known anti-buckling features includes a series of straight lines and/or includes a series of straight cut lines that extends more than half the length of the hinge line.